Review: Action Launcher by Chris Lacey

This is Action Launcher. Right off the bat, this is one of the most interesting launchers I've ever used. There are a lot of very different, yet useful features that make this launcher unique so let's dive right in.

The actual home screens are not too much different than stock Android. Were you begin to notice the differences is in the action bar that is ever-present at the top of your screen. This bar is how you add to your home screens, search(Which for me brought up Google's Now's voice search), and one of the ways you can access your apps. 

Apps can be accessed one of two ways like I previously mentioned. You can either tap the Apps button, or you can simply swipe from the left edge of your display. Both of which open an alphabetical list of all your apps with a shortcut bar on the side to jump to the letter you desire more quickly.

Another major feature that separates this launcher from others is called Covers.

Covers are essentially folders with a twist, and they are indicated by small white squares.

The way they work is quite handy: either tap once to bring up the app that is pictured, or double tap to bring up a folder.

The two main points about this launcher, that I feel are most evident, are simplicity and speed. 

While this app is a bit unconventional, it is a fantastic alternative if you prefer smoothness to the cheesy animations of most OEM launchers. If you are looking for an intuitive, feature packed launcher then look no further. Action Launcher is available in the Play Store for $3.99 and is linked in the beginning of this post. If you'd like to know more about the developer you can follow him on Twitter and circle him on Google +.

So what do you guys think of Action Launcher? 

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3 New Phones Hit T-Mobile's Line Up

Awesome news today if you happen to be a T-Mobile customer; 3 new phones have hit the shelves:

The Nokia Lumia 810

The HTC 8X

The Google Nexus 4

Whether you're into Windows phone or Android, it's nice to have the option to choose between great devices. Especially when the holidays are right around the corner.

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Droid DNA: HTC Going Full-Force

HTC and Verizon held an event earlier today where they announced the Droid DNA. This is essentially the J Butterfly that launched over seas. Unfortunately this guy, like most HTC devices, is a carrier exclusive. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, I do not like carrier exclusives. I don't think they benefit anyone but the carrier, and that's only if folks are ready to jump onto their network just for a device. All that aside, it's a great device with great specs to boot. Most notably would be the 1080P resolution screen. A full list of specs can be found here. But once again HTC did not include a very large battery; it's only 2020mAh. The One X+ even has a larger battery. But I digress. 

The real selling point of this device is the price. It will be available on November 21st for only $199 on contract. At that price, it's hard to beet. 

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New Nexuses: They're Here!

The Nexuses are finally here! Starting today, you can now purchase any one of the 3 new Nexus devices announced on October 29th; the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, and the new flavors of the Nexus 7.

Which one are you picking up?

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Nexus 7: Customers Shafted(UPDATED)

When Google launched their Nexus 7 earlier this year it was welcomed with open arms. Unlike Amazon's Kindle Fire, the N7 came with the latest version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean, and some awesome specs to back it up. You got all this starting at $200. Before the N7 it was unheard of to have a budget friendly tablet that performed well. The N7 changed that for the better.

But there was one thing that a lot of people were concerned about: storage.

The baseline model of the Nexus 7 was $199 for 8GB, and for $50 more you could grab a 16GB version. That was, and still is a great deal, but there is no way to expand your storage. Google really wanted folks to buy into their content via the Play Store, rather than store it locally. In reality, the only profit Google makes from the N7 is through content purchased from them. They really just break even on the price of the hardware. 

Naturally most people were ready to shell out $250 for 16GB automatically. Then something changed. Not too long ago, rumors began surfacing of a 32GB Nexus 7 hitting the market. In fact, I wrote an editorial on this very subject and how displeased I was with the rumored pricing. Turns out the rumors were true. On October 29th, a midst the announcement of the Nexus and Nexus 10, a new flavor of the Nexus 7 was released as well. The 32GB model replaced the 16GB at $250, while the 16GB replaced the 8GB for $200. Not to mention there is now a 32GB version which also comes with unlocked cellular data for just $300. Still cheaper than the iPad mini. That's great, right? Google made(arguably) the best tablet available even better, right?  

Well, it's great for those who are just now looking to buy one for the holidays. It's not so great, however, for those of us that previously purchased one and now realize we could've saved money. I feel it's a bit unfair to do this to customers without any sort of compensation. Wouldn't you agree? Well luckily Asus is offering vouchers to anyone who purchased one before October 29th. If you live in the UK. And only if you got it directly Asus or Google. And you have to have proof of purchase. 

Well, at least they tried. 

UPDATE: Apparently Google, as per their pricing protection policy, is giving refunds of $50 to anyone who bought 15 days before October 29th. This is nice, but Google could do better.

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iPod Touch(5th Generation): My Full Review

Apple's latest edition to the iPod Touch line is easily the best iteration of the device yet. With previous versions the specs always seemed to fall short, and it really showed in day to day performance. Having owned a 4th and 5th Gen iTouch, the difference in performance is remarkable, and while the price is a bit high it was a great purchase; here's why:

Design and Display

Note: this iPod is my girlfriend's. This is not MY choice of wallpaper...

Everything about this iPod has been improved. Most notably is the display, which is now larger at 4" and is now Retina as well with 326PPI. Images are crisp and clear and there is zero pixelation even when completely zoomed in. 

The overall design of this device is beautiful. Gone is the old silver back that was notorious for scratching, and in is this brand new matte finished. I happen to have the Product Red version, it is also available in blue, pink, yellow, slate(black), and silver. 

Little touches like the reflective bezel and logo make this guy shine. 

All the buttons remain in the same places, while the new Lightning port replaces the 30-pin connector. Also new, is the Loop located on the back, which is essentially a wrist strap. What's nice about this is it is detachable and the small pit can be closed if you so desire.

Aesthetically, this is a gorgeous product. It's thin, light, and beautiful; nothing short of Apple standards.

Performance

Opening apps, gaming, and web browsing are all delightfully zippy on this guy. Areas in iOS 6 where it would lag on the previous generation are handled with ease on this one. Even with tons of apps open, it still flies. This is thanks to the dual-core A5 processor inside and 512MB of RAM. While this may not seem like a lot compared to most Android devices, you have to remember that iOS is not as recourse heavy. This has been a dream to use.

The only gripe I have about it is that some apps have yet to be updated to fit the larger screen. But that is not a problem with device itself.

Cameras

The cameras on this iPod are actually usable compared to the previous model they are much better. The rear camera is basically the same one found on the iPhone 4, while the front is a 720p iSight camera.

While they aren't the best, they are definitely usable for quick snapshots or video chat.

Battery Life

According to my girlfriend the battery life is good, but since this is not my personal device I have not been able to test it extensively. 

Pricing and Value

The biggest downfall of this guy is the price. With this new generation of iTouch, Apple has completely eliminated the 8GB model. The base model is now 32GB and starts at $299. This is a little steep considering you can get a 32GB Nexus 7 with cellular data for the same price. 

Conclusion

The price of this iPod may be a little high but it is the best iTouch so far. If you have the extra money and you want something that you can play games, consume media, and take advantage of the ecosystem with but aren't crazy about the iPhone, then this is going to be a great option. Though you can get "more value" with a Nexus 7, you get a much more portable and well crafted device in the new 5th generation iPod Touch.

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The 4th Generation iPad: A Scary Change For Consumers

No one really expected Apple to refresh the iPad at this past event; some people were even upset about it. The biggest complaint for most consumers is the buyer's remorse from the 3rd Gen iPad. Obviously it's a little frustrating to purchase a new product, only to find that a few months later it isn't new(pun intended) anymore.

But as pointed out by Techno Buffalo, this refresh creates a whole new issue for consumers: when is the 5th Generation coming? 

Apple is known for their reliable one-year launch cycle for devices. Folks have come to love this about Apple because, unlike Android, when you buy the new iPhone, it remains new for a least a year. With this latest iPad release, it creates a hesitation when buying because prior to this model, new iPads came in the spring. Now consumers have to wonder if they will continue that spring cycle, or a new fall cycle. So now not only is the preconceived life cycle of the iPad diminished, but I think that people will be somewhat scared to drop $500 on an iPad when a new version could be right around the corner. 

All that said, if you are happy with your current iPad and it does everything you need it to do, then keep it. If you have never owned one, or are still using the first gen model. then go for the iPad 4(yeah I said it). 

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